Ireland’s new planning exemptions from 27 July 2026
Since 27 July 2026 you can extend a house in Ireland by up to 45 m², put up a garden room of up to 30 m² and, until 31 December 2030, build a detached home of 32 to 45 m² in the rear garden without planning permission, as long as every condition of the class is met.
Rules as of 10 October 2026. Seven regulations, S.I. Nos. 338 to 344 of 2026, signed on 16 July 2026.
- Extensions: 45 m² in total since 1 October 1964, up from 40 m² (Class 1, S.I. No. 338 of 2026).
- Upper-floor windows: 8 m from the boundary they face, down from 11 m (Class 1, condition 6).
- Sheds and garden rooms: 30 m² in total, up from 25 m² (Class 3).
- New: a detached house of 32 to 45 m² in the rear garden (Class 3A) and splitting a house into two homes (Class 1A), each with 14 days’ notice to the council and only until 31 December 2030.
- Heat pumps: allowed in front of the house, as long as they do not encroach onto a public road (Class 2(d)).
What changed, class by class
| Class | Before 27 July 2026 | From 27 July 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1, extension | 40 m² in total; upper-floor windows 11 m from the boundary; 25 m² open space to the rear | 45 m² in total; upper-floor windows 8 m; 25 m² open space anywhere in the curtilage; principal house only | S.I. No. 338 of 2026, art. 3 |
| Class 3, shed, garden room, garage | 25 m² in total | 30 m² in total | S.I. No. 338 of 2026, art. 4 |
| Class 3A, detached house in the rear garden | None | 32 to 45 m² with any Class 3 structures, 14 days’ notice, works finished by 31 December 2030 | S.I. No. 340 of 2026 |
| Class 1A, subdivision | None | Two homes at most, each at least 32 m², self-contained, 14 days’ notice, by 31 December 2030 | S.I. No. 339 of 2026 |
| Class 2(d), heat pump | Not on, or forward of, the front wall or roof | Must not encroach onto a public road; 2.5 m², 50 cm from edges and the 43 dB(A) noise limit stay | S.I. No. 342 of 2026 |
| Classes 1B and 1C, dormers and roof lights | None | Side or rear dormers up to 30 m³, below the ridge, 20 cm eaves set-back; up to two front roof lights of 100 by 90 cm | S.I. No. 344 of 2026 |
| Class 2A, chimney removal | None | Not from a stack shared with another house; roof to match; nests and bats protected | S.I. No. 343 of 2026 |
| Classes 62 and 63 | None | Bike or bin store up to 3.5 m² and 1.4 m high; external wall insulation up to 150 mm | S.I. No. 341 of 2026 |
| Building control | Commencement notice for an extension over 40 m² | Over 45 m², to match Class 1 | S.I. No. 359 of 2026 |
The two classes that need a notice
Class 1A (splitting a house into two homes) and Class 3A (a detached house in the rear garden) only apply if you notify the planning authority at least 14 days before work starts, with the location and the Eircode, confirming the site meets the requirements and giving the reason for the intended use. Circular PLR 02/2026 gives councils a suggested template in its Appendix I, with a checklist of every requirement to tick. Both classes end on 31 December 2030: work has to start and finish before then.
| The rule | Where it is in the law |
|---|---|
| Notify the planning authority at least 14 days before work starts, with the location and Eircode, confirming the site meets the requirements and stating the reason for the intended use. | Regulations 2001, Class 3A, conditions 16 and 17 |
| Works must start and finish between 16 July 2026 and 31 December 2030. | Regulations 2001, Class 3A, conditions 1 and 2 |
| Notify the planning authority at least 14 days before work starts, with the location and Eircode, confirming the site meets the requirements and stating the reason for the intended use. | Regulations 2001, Class 1A, conditions 8 and 9 |
| Works must start and finish between 16 July 2026 and 31 December 2030. | Regulations 2001, Class 1A, conditions 1 and 2 |
When the classes do not apply
Every class is subject to article 9 of the Regulations, and Classes 1, 2 and 3 do not apply to apartments. The checker asks about each of these; it does not look them up.
| The rule | Where it is in the law |
|---|---|
| For Classes 1, 2 and 3, “house” does not include a building used as two or more dwellings, or a flat or apartment in one. | Regulations 2001, article 5(1) |
| For a protected structure, or a proposed one, works are exempt only if they would not materially affect its character. The owner or occupier can ask the council for a section 57 declaration on which works would, and the council must issue it within 12 weeks. | Act of 2000, section 57(1) to (3) |
| In an architectural conservation area, works to the exterior that would materially affect the character of the area are not exempt. | Regulations 2001, article 9(1)(a)(xii) |
| In an area under a special amenity area order, Classes 1 and 3 are not exempt, and the order can limit other classes. | Regulations 2001, article 9(1)(b) |
| Not exempt if it would need appropriate assessment for a European site (SAC or SPA), or would be likely to harm a Natural Heritage Area. | Regulations 2001, article 9(1)(a)(viiB) and (viiC) |
| Not exempt if it would excavate, alter or demolish a monument in the Record of Monuments and Places, or a feature the development plan protects. | Regulations 2001, article 9(1)(a)(vii) and (viiA) |
| Not exempt if it would breach a condition of an earlier planning permission or be inconsistent with a use it specifies. | Regulations 2001, article 9(1)(a)(i) |
| Not exempt if it extends, alters, repairs or renews an unauthorised structure. | Regulations 2001, article 9(1)(a)(viii) |
Check your project
Pick the class and enter your house: the 3D model shows the limits, and every condition is checked with its reference.
An extensionA shed or garden roomA house in the gardenA heat pumpSplitting the house
Questions
When did the new exemptions start?
On 27 July 2026. The seven regulations, S.I. Nos. 338 to 344 of 2026, were signed on 16 July 2026 and sent to councils with Circular PLR 02/2026 on 17 July 2026.
Do I need to tell the council about a 45 m² extension?
Not under Class 1: the notice applies only to Classes 1A and 3A. The Building Regulations still apply, and since 27 July 2026 an exempted extension needs a commencement notice only when its total floor area is over 45 m².
Are the new classes permanent?
Classes 1A and 3A are not: the works must be started and completed by 31 December 2030. The other changes have no end date.
Related
- England and IrelandCheck your project in 3DThe free checker, condition by condition.
- IrelandExtensions: the 45 m² ruleAbove-ground limits, 2 m and 8 m, open space.
- IrelandShed or garden room: 30 m²Height, position and use.
- IrelandA granny flat: Class 3A32 to 45 m², 14 days’ notice, to 2030.
- England and IrelandAir conditioning and heat pumpsThe 2025 English rules and Class 2(d).
- IrelandSection 5 declarations€80, 4 weeks, what to send.
Sources: S.I. Nos. 338 to 344 of 2026 on the Irish Statute Book; Circular PLR 02/2026; S.I. No. 359 of 2026. Last checked 10 October 2026. Irish Statute Book content is used under the Oireachtas (Open Data) PSI Licence, which incorporates CC BY 4.0. This page is not legal advice and not a formal decision; it is not affiliated with any council or government department.